This review continues my series of detailed reviews that attempt to be part review, part resource for anyone not totally familiar with the game. For this reason I expect readers to skip to the sections that are of most interest.

Summary

Game Type – Board Game (Dice)
Play Time: 50-70 minutes
Number of Players: 2-6
Mechanics – Set Collection, Dice Rolling
Difficulty – Pick-up & Play (Can be learnt in under 15 minutes)
Components – Excellent


Image Courtesy of patrel

This review completes my Detailed Analysis of all titles in the Alhambra Family of games. Excuse me for a moment…..Yay!

You can find a complete set of links to all of my other Alhambra Reviews at the bottom of this review.

Theme/Overview

There really is no theme to speak of here except to say that Alhambra - The Dice Game (ADG) is an attempt to bring the goodness of Alhambra to a dice based version. About half way through the first game, it is hard to not think of this as Alhambra mixed with Yahtzee. The analogy is fairly accurate.

Thankfully the game comes across better than it initially sounds. ADG even offers 2 different versions of the game and cleverly uses its components to accommodate this (although a copy of Alhambra is required to play the Alcazaba variant).

I'll cover the components first, before reviewing each game individually.

Components

The components in Alhambra have always been good to excellent and ADG is no exception. There is plenty of wood here, vibrant colours, smart packaging and a clear rulebook to top things off.

The Board - The board is a 4 section (2-flip) job that serves as the main focus for the game. The board is double sided, allowing each side to serve as the playing area for each version of the game on offer. In the basic game the board consists of 2 separate areas. The bottom half depicts a series of numbers ranging from 8 down to 1. Each number is visible 3 times in a row these are used to record the results of each players turn (series of rolls).

The numbers are displayed in columns, with each of the 6 columns featuring a unique colour. These are the same as those used in Alhambra and also serve to represent the many buildings found in the original game (and here).

The top half of the board continues each of the 6 columns, depicting a winding path of circular spaces. The net effect is to have 6 board-length columns in each of the 6 colours. The top half however is used to record each player's building progress (more on that later).

The top half also outlines the scoring values for each of the building types in each round. These are identical to those found in the original game. 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it', appears to have been the mentality.

The board is surrounded by a score track and is used to determine the eventual winner.


Image Courtesy of Duane Abrames

The reverse side of the board is unchanged on the bottom half. The top half however does away with the building track (winding path), instead showing an image of each building. Tiles will be place in these empty columns as the game progresses.


Image Courtesy of Duane Abrames

The Dice - Given the title of the game, it would be disappointing if these were ordinary. I am pleased to say that the dice are pretty cool. Each dice features a symbol that represents each of the 6 buildings from Alhambra.

This game really was a beautiful fit for the mechanics!

The symbols also feature the buildings corresponding colour and rather than just being painted on, the symbols are etched or engraved into the surface of each face (which means no fading). They really are very nice and add to the feel of the game quite a bit.

8 of the dice are white and are used on every roll, whilst a black dice is also available as a bonus (more on that later).


Image Courtesy of Geosmores

Marker Stones - Each player receives a number of wooden octagonal marker stones (3-5) in their colour, based on the number of players. These are used to record the results of each player's turn (series of rolls) on the bottom half of the board.


Image Courtesy of the_spy

Building Stones - Each player also receives 6 wooden Building Stones in their colour. These are flat and are used to record a player's building progress in the top half of the board.


Image Courtesy of Capitaine Grappin

Score Markers - Like the original game, each player also gets a Score Track Marker and places it on 0. After each scoring round these will be moved around the score track to reflect each player's progress.


Image Courtesy of Toynan

Bonus Tokens - There are then a range of bonus tokens that are used throughout the game. They are square in size and a series of small boxes are visible on the board to accommodate them during the play. More on these later.

Odds & Ends - There is also a large Caliph marker which is given to the starting player for each round (bottom left of image below). The game comes with 2 rulebooks, one for each version of the game. The rules are really very clear, presenting no real rule ambiguities at all. A leather cup, which is used to roll the dice with, adds a touch of quality to the game.

The final component is the '13' Tower Tile. This is used in the Alcazaba Variant and can be added to people's copy of Alhambra if they wish (hence the value).


Image Courtesy of Bernd

The Set-up

This is pretty straight forward. Each player takes their pieces in their colour (number of marker stones being dependent on the number of players). The white Bonus Tokens are then split into 4 piles of 5 tokens each and set aside. A dice is rolled to see which column the start player token is placed in. Then 1 of the white piles of tokens are randomly distributed face-up in the remaining spaces. In this way the Bonus Tokens are randomly placed on offer each round and help make each play completely different.

The remaining 6 black Bonus Tokens are set aside for the final round.

The Game Play

The beauty of ADG is that the play is pretty straight forward. The play can be neatly summarised as follows -

The Beginning - Play begins with the start player and a player's turn consists of a maximum of 3 rolls. Think Yahtzee.

Rolling - After each roll the active player can choose to put aside any number of dice. Naturally they will want to put aside dice of 1 colour if possible, as only 1 colour can be claimed per roll.

When to Stop - The active player can choose to stop after their 1st, 2nd or 3rd roll. The timing of their final roll before they call it quits is important. This is why there are 3 versions of each number in each column.

For example - If a player rolls 5 brown buildings on their 1st roll, they could choose to stop right there. This allows the player to place 1 of their Marker Stones on the left most '5' in the brown column. If they had achieved the same result after their 2nd roll, then the Marker Stone would be placed in the middle '5'. Any result after the 3rd roll sees a marker stone added to that value on the far right.

I'm not sure about other gamers, but we found we developed a language to go with our rolls. We (my wife and I) now refer to rolls as 'value' in 1, 2 or 3. So if a player decided to stop after rolling 6 green dice in 2 rolls, we'd call it '6 in 2'. Okay it's not rocket science, but it works.

The aim however is to get your Marker Stones into either the best or 2nd best positions in each column, as these will reap rewards in Phase 2.

Ending a Turn - Once the active player places a Marker Stone, their turn is over and the play passes to the next player in a clockwise fashion. This play continues until all players have placed all of their Marker Stones.

Phase Two - Now phase two of the round takes place. It is time to see the outcome of all that rolling. Alhambra - The Dice Game rewards the best two Marker Stones in each building column. Starting with the blue building column (far left) the best player has a choice to make. They can either advance one of their Building Stones 2 positions on the building track for that column or they can advance it 1 place and take the Bonus Token.

Whichever option they don't take is awarded to the player who had their Marker Stone in 2nd place. It is possible for 1 player to hold 1st and 2nd and therefore earn 3 Building Track points and get the Bonus Token. This is uncommon as opponents will try to ensure it doesn't happen.

This method of scoring Building Points is repeated from left to right through all 6 Building Columns.

Scoring Rounds - Like the original game, ADG offers a scoring round at the end of rounds 1, 3 and 5. So the timing of each round will impact on the choices made by the players. Often in non-scoring rounds it can be more beneficial to take the Bonus Token and only 1 Building Track point.

Like the original game too, only the player with the most advanced Building Stone will earn points for 1st place in a Building Track, during Scoring Round 1. Scoring Round 2 sees positions 1 and 2 score and Round 3 awards points to 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

If multiple Building Stones are on the equal highest space on the Building Track, the Stone on the bottom is regarded as being in pole position (because they got there first).

All Marker Stones are removed as they are scored, thereby clearing the bottom half of the board for the next round.

Rinse and Repeat - The following rounds follow exactly the same pattern. The only additional thing to consider is that new Bonus Tokens must be placed and a dice must be rolled again to determine the position of the Start Player Bonus Token. The player who won that token in the prior round can choose which player will be the start player for the coming round.

Winning - At the end of round 5, the player with the highest score is declared the winner.

Strategy

What I like about ADG is that it offers a good mix of straight forward play (which is relatively quick and painless) mixed with some interesting decision making.

Dice Rolling - This is the straight forward part. In the majority of cases, a player's 1st roll will determine what they go after. In my experience a result of '5 in 3' (5 of a building type by the 3rd roll) is basically the average. It takes a pretty good roll to beat that. If a player rolls '5 in 1 or 2' rolls then they should seriously consider settling for that. A roll of '4 in 2' doesn't really cut it, so the player is really required to roll again.

Hence with a bit of experience, the players get a feel for what will be required to be relatively safe.

Of course we are dealing with dice here, so anything is possible.

The Marker Stone Rule - Part of what makes the above valid (gaining a feel for what will be good enough), is this rule.

Once a player has a Marker Stone in play, the onus is on all players to beat that result. If a player can only manage to equal the position of an already placed Marker Stone, it gets pushed down to the next available space.

This rule not only rewards players who can post decent results early, it also makes for some strategic play or 'playing the percentages'.

Bonus Tokens - But it is these babies that really create the interesting decisions that I mentioned earlier. Whilst the scoring values of each building type (and the player's relative positions on each Building Track) will play a large part in what columns a player tries to go after, often it will be the Bonus Tokens on offer that influence a player's final decision on which dice to keep.

Each of the following tokens must be discarded to be used.

Bonus Points - There are numerous tokens with a value of 1, 2 or 3. These tokens are vital as securing them will award the player that many points in each of the remaining Scoring Rounds. These can make the difference between victory and defeat in a close game.

Push Back - Use of this token allows a player to ignore the 'Marker Stone Rule' outlined above. Therefore a player can now achieve the same result already claimed by another Marker Stone and actually push the original stone down one position before taking its place. This can be a great way to displace a '5 in 3' Marker Stone.

Annul (Re-roll) - This token allows a player to ignore the result of any 1 roll and rewards a re-roll of those dice. Perhaps the weakest of the Bonus Tokens but useful in a clutch situation when you need just 1 more of a given building type.

Black Die - This token can be traded in after a player's 1st roll. It allows that player to take the black die and select any 1 building type of their choice before adding it to any dice they keep. It is great if a player is looking for a big score like 6+ of a building type.

Exchange - This token allows a player to transfer the points they earn in any one Building Track (top half of the board) to any other Building Track. This is the most devastating token as it allows a player to totally surprise their opponents and gain a critical advantage in a tightly contested Building Track. Nasty.

Start Player Token - As mentioned earlier, the player who wins this token can choose who is the start player for the next round. This is useful as it is generally an advantage to go last in a round (so you know that your last Marker Stone cannot be beaten). Being able to choose the player to your left as the new start player, ensures that you finish the next round last.

The Final Word

It would be very easy to dismiss Alhambra - The Dice Game as a Yahtzee variant that draws some strength from the Alhambra base mechanics. But the more I play this game the more I find to like about it.

The design is really very streamlined and the interplay between the various mechanics is subtle but well executed. The decision of which column to go after with each roll will be determined by each building types scoring potential, the Bonus Tokens on offer in that column and the relative positions of each player's Building Tokens and Marker Stones.

As more Building Tokens are added and advanced with each round, the game is always changing and evolving. In this way the players must adapt to the changing dynamics.

There is also a subtle tactical game that plays out in the upper half of the board as each player strives to get their Building Token into pole position. All of these considerations result in a fairly engaging game where the leader can be identified and pegged back with a little luck and wise decision making. This makes for some tense action in the last 2 rounds especially.

Is this as good as the base game? Well not really as their still isn't enough control due to the dice rolling aspect. Roll bad and you will be in trouble, no matter how good the strategy.

But it is far better than Yahtzee (on account that there are far more interesting decisions to be made), whilst still offering that core Yahtzee feel.

I own Alhambra and all four expansions, but I'm still glad I have this.

Alhambra - The Dice Game is well worth a look.

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Alhambra: The Dice Game (Alcazaba Variant)

This is the 2nd play option on offer and it really plays like a separate game, complete with a 2nd rulebook.

I promise this section will be shorter.

The Play

The key difference with Alcazaba, is that it allows the players to use the building tiles from the original Alhambra (of course a copy of Alhambra must be owned to do this).

The Bonus Tokens are not used but otherwise the game is very similar to the base game. So in effect Alcazaba is really a cross between the base game and the original game.

Instead of making the Bonus Token stacks in the set-up phase, stacks of building tiles are created. Each stack of 6 tiles must feature 1 tile of each colour (requiring some sorting before play) and 5 such stacks are created. All other tiles are placed in the tile draw bag, including the new Tower Tile that comes with ADG.

At the start of each round, the tiles from any 1 stack are placed on the upper portion of the board in their respective (coloured) columns. Then 5 random tiles are drawn from the bag and added to their respective columns. In this way each round will offer a random assortment of building tiles to fight over.

The dice rolling system remains the same as in the base game. The difference is in the outcome of those rolls. The player with the best placed Marker Stone can have their choice of the building tiles available. The tile chosen must then be added to their Alhambra immediately. Each player with a Marker Stone in that column can take their pick, in descending order, from the tiles remaining.

The building rules from Alhambra apply and tiles are taken from each column in order, starting with the Blue Column 1st and the Purple Column last. This makes for some fairly important considerations as the acquisition of tiles may make some later builds impossible and therefore see tiles added to the player's Reserve Board.

Rebuilding Actions are at times more necessary here than in the original game (on account of how tiles are acquired as outlined in the last paragraph). To take a rebuild action a player must forfeit their chance to place a Marker Stone after their 1st or 2nd roll. Rebuilding follows the same rules as those outlined in Alhambra.

Scoring still occurs in the 1st, 3rd and 5th rounds.

This in short summarises the play on offer in the Alcazaba Variant.

The Final...Final Word

I like the added complexity of building your Alhambra when the exact tiles you will receive is not always certain (on account that you may be left with a dodgy tile).

However on the whole this variant doesn't really work for me due to the nature of how the tiles are assigned in the top half of the board. Each column is guaranteed 1 tile, but beyond that the nest 5 are random. This can result in some columns only having the 1 tile and others having 2, 3 or even 4 tiles.

The implications of this possibility is that it can reduce the tension and difficulty of the decision making process.

For example if a column only has 1 tile and another player manages to post a '6 in 2' result, then the other players are really unlikely to challenge for that column, because failing to beat that result would waste one of their Marker Stones.

Conversely, take the example of a column with 3 or 4 tiles on offer. This only encourages a player to post a Marker Stone, no matter how bad the result, as up to 3 or 4 Marker Stones will still earn something.

In summary this is a nice thought but really only for the really 'Die Hard' Alhambra fans. I'd rather play the original game over this variant, otherwise I'd play the Base Dice Game.


Image Courtesy of matthan

Links

Alhambra

Expansion Set #1 - The Vizier's Favour

Expansion Set #2 - The City Gates

Expansion Set #3 - The Thief's Turn

Expansion Set #4 - The Treasure Chamber